Name: The Last Chance Matinee
ISBN: 9781501165351

Mariah Stewart

Includes a reading group guide with discussion questions and an interview with the author.

The Last Chance Matinee

From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes the first novel in her all-new series, The Hudson Sisters, following a trio of reluctant sisters as they set out to fulfill their father’s dying wish. In the process, they find not only themselves, but the father they only thought they knew. When celebrated and respected agent Fritz Hudson passes away, he leaves a trail of Hollywood glory in his wake—and two separate families who never knew the other existed. Allie and Des Hudson are products of Fritz’s first marriage to Honora, a beautiful but troubled starlet whose life ended in a tragic overdose. Meanwhile, Fritz was falling in love on the Delaware Bay with New Age hippie Susa Pratt—they had a daughter together, Cara, and while Fritz loved Susa with everything he had, he never quite managed to tell her or Cara about his West Coast family. Now Fritz is gone, and the three sisters are brought together under strange circumstances: there’s a large inheritance to be had that could save Allie from her ever-deepening debt following a disastrous divorce, allow Des to open a rescue shelter for abused and wounded animals, and give Cara a fresh start after her husband left her for her best friend—but only if the sisters upend their lives and work together to restore an old, decrepit theater that was Fritz’s obsession growing up in his small hometown in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Guided by Fritz’s closest friend and longtime attorney, Pete Wheeler, the sisters come together—whether they like it or not—to turn their father’s dream into a reality, and might just come away with far more than they bargained for.

Linda Quintanilla

I think everyone need to start reading Mariah Stewart titles. She will always have fantastic stories that reader can relate to. She writes about common issues that most women face in their life that reader can know how much it took for them to be in a relationship.
She wrote a new series that it is going to be emotional read because there are going to major issues that people face that will be discussed. The Last Chance Matinee will introduce three new characters which happens to be sisters. It is definitely going to be hectic for these sisters but they did not know about each other until their father death. It is whole lots of drama going on that it is going to be a entertaining read for readers.
Each of these sister bring different personality that reader will like one of them. Besides their personalities, they will have problems going in their lives that reader definitely expect a book for each of them. For The Last Chance Matinee, it will explore Cara life. 
Cara never knew that her father had another life and daughters that it become a hell of surprise. But she is definitely delighted about it. She always wanted sisters and now she has them. But it going to be a tough road for them because these sisters are a hand full especially Allie. But she is determined to make due because she is finally feeling at home. 
It will be a tough road for these sisters because they are finally going to face their problems. But first, it is Cara. Cara will finally know who she is and what she wants in life.
The Last Chance Matinee will give a fantastic perspective about these sisters getting to know each other and their self. Five Stars!

Jolie

The Last Chance Matinee starts off with a bang. The reader is introduced to Allie, an alcoholic, out of work television producer, Des, a former child star who now is takes in foster dogs and helps with rescue organizations and Cara, a free-spirited yoga instructor who is still reeling from her divorce and the death of her father and mother. It is at the reading of a will that a bombshell is dropped, their father had two wives and two families. His East coast and West coast families and all 3 women are sisters. But what shocks them even more is the stipulation but on the will. Allie, Des and Cara have to live in their father’s hometown and restore a theater. If any of the sisters leave before the renovation is complete, then none of them get their inheritance.

I am going to say, I really liked this book and I really liked Fritz. He had such a huge presence in the book and he genuinely had his daughters’ best interests at heart…even if they didn’t think so. I kinda felt bad for him too. He was in a marriage that he felt that he couldn’t get out of and he made mistakes that he was trying to make up for in his last months. I think giving them the theater to restore was his way of getting them together so they could get to know each other.

Allie, I couldn’t stand. She was such a witch with a b and she was so freaking negative. Listen, I totally get that she was upset when she found out about Cara but she was such a jerk to her afterwards. I mean, Cara had nothing to do with the choices that her father made. Actually, she was a by-product of those decisions. I so wanted to yell that into the book. She was also very much so hung up on her ex husband and I couldn’t believe that she started pumping her daughter, Nikki, for information about a woman that she suspected he was dating. Helloo, they are divorced and he can date whoever he wants. Let’s also not forget her drinking. That is a huge problem. Oh and she is very resentful of Des, too. Going back to when she was 12 and Des got her own TV show. Woman needs a therapist, stat.

Des, however, I really liked. I actually connected with her on so many levels, it wasn’t even funny. She was very accepting of Cara and she dealt with Allie beautifully. She also had a passion for rescuing/fostering dogs which I really enjoyed reading about. She understood that her father wasn’t happy with her mother and she understood (well kinda understood) why he did what he did.

Cara, I felt awful for. Her ex husband left her for a very close friend, they are getting married and then she finds out that her father was a bigamist and she has 2 sisters. But she dealt with it graciously but she didn’t take anything from Allie about her mother being “the other woman”. She was a free spirit too, thanks to her hippie mother raising her that way (it isn’t a bad thing) with a wonderful outlook on life. I mean, she celebrated her ex getting married with a bottle of champagne with Joe….lol.

There was a twist in the book that took me by surprise and it went beautifully with the end of the book. I honestly can’t wait to see what book 2 brings and to see if it lives up to book 1!!!

How many stars will I give The Last Chance Matinee: 4

Why: I enjoyed reading this book. It was fast-moving with characters that I could connect to. It would be a perfect beach/pool book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Otherwise, a pretty clean book.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Last Chance Matinee

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